List of governors of Tennessee

This is a list of people who have served as governor of Tennessee.

The governor's term in office is limited by the Tennessee state constitution. The first constitution, enacted in 1796, set a term of two years for the governor and provided that no person could serve as governor for more than 6 years in any 8-year period.[1] The term of office was lengthened to four years, without the possibility of consecutive terms, by constitutional amendments adopted in 1953.[2] Under the current provisions of the state constitution, as amended in 1978, the governor is elected to a four-year term and may serve no more than two terms consecutively.[2][3] For a period of nearly five decades in the 20th century, the Tennessee Democratic Party held the Tennessee governorship continuously.

Tennessee has had 50 governors, including the incumbent, Bill Lee.[4] Seven governors (John Sevier, William Carroll, Andrew Johnson, Robert Love Taylor, Gordon Browning, Frank G. Clement, and Buford Ellington) have served non-consecutive terms. This tally does not include William Blount (the territorial governor) or Robert L. Caruthers (who never took office), though the Blue Book includes them in its list of governors.[5] All governors are counted only once, regardless of number of terms served (e.g., John Sevier is considered the 1st governor, rather than the 1st and 3rd governor). The Blue Book does not include Edward H. East in its list of governors.

Southwest Territory

The Territory South of the River Ohio, commonly called the Southwest Territory, was formed in 1790 from lands ceded by North Carolina to the United States government. The territory was admitted to the Union as the State of Tennessee in 1796.

Parties

  Democratic-Republican

# Picture Governor
(Birth–Death)		 Term in office Party State of birth Occupation Notes
1   William Blount
(1749–1800)		 September 20, 1790
–
March 30, 1796		 Democratic-Republican NC Land speculator [6]

State of Tennessee
Parties

  Democratic-Republican (6)   Democratic (31)   Whig (4)   Unionist/Military (1)   Republican (10)

#[7] Picture Governor
(Birth–Death)		 Term in office Party Election Occupation Lt. Governor
1   John Sevier
September 23, 1745 – September 24, 1815
(aged 70)		 March 30, 1796
–
September 23, 1801		 Democratic-Republican Soldier, farmer None
2   Archibald Roane
1759/1760 – January 18, 1819
(aged 58–60)		 September 23, 1801
–
September 23, 1803		 Democratic-Republican Lawyer
1   John Sevier
September 23, 1745 – September 24, 1815
(aged 70)		 September 23, 1803
–
September 20, 1809		 Democratic-Republican Soldier, farmer
3   Willie Blount
April 18, 1768 – September 10, 1835
(aged 67)		 September 20, 1809
–
September 27, 1815		 Democratic-Republican Lawyer, planter
4   Joseph McMinn
June 22, 1758 – October 17, 1824
(aged 66)		 September 27, 1815
–
October 1, 1821		 Democratic-Republican Merchant
5   William Carroll
March 3, 1788 – March 22, 1844
(aged 56)		 October 1, 1821
–
October 1, 1827		 Democratic-Republican Merchant, soldier
6   Sam Houston
March 2, 1793 – July 26, 1863
(aged 70)		 October 1, 1827
–
April 16, 1829		 Democratic-Republican Lawyer
7   William Hall
February 11, 1775 – October 7, 1856
(aged 81)		 April 16, 1829
–
October 1, 1829		 Democratic Planter, soldier
5   William Carroll
March 3, 1788 – March 22, 1844
(aged 56)		 October 1, 1829
–
October 12, 1835		 Democratic Merchant, soldier
8   Newton Cannon
May 22, 1781 – September 16, 1841
(aged 60)		 October 12, 1835
–
October 14, 1839		 Whig Planter
9   James K. Polk
November 2, 1795 – June 15, 1849
(aged 53)		 October 14, 1839
–
October 15, 1841		 Democratic Lawyer, politician
10   James C. Jones
April 20, 1809 – October 29, 1859
(aged 50)		 October 15, 1841
–
October 14, 1845		 Whig Lawyer
11   Aaron V. Brown
August 15, 1795 – March 8, 1859
(aged 63)		 October 14, 1845
–
October 17, 1847		 Democratic Lawyer
12   Neill S. Brown
April 18, 1810 – January 30, 1886
(aged 75)		 October 17, 1847
–
October 16, 1849		 Whig Lawyer
13   William Trousdale
September 23, 1790 – March 27, 1872
(aged 81)		 October 16, 1849
–
October 16, 1851		 Democratic Lawyer
14   William B. Campbell
February 1, 1807 – August 19, 1867
(aged 60)		 October 16, 1851
–
October 17, 1853		 Whig Lawyer
15   Andrew Johnson
December 29, 1808 – July 31, 1875
(aged 66)		 October 17, 1853
–
November 3, 1857		 Democratic Tailor, lawyer, politician
16   Isham G. Harris
February 10, 1818 – July 8, 1897
(aged 79)		 November 3, 1857
–
March 12, 1862[8]		 Democratic Lawyer, politician
15   Andrew Johnson
December 29, 1808 – July 31, 1875
(aged 66)		 March 12, 1862
–
March 4, 1865		 Unionist/Military Lawyer, politician
—   Edward H. East
October 1, 1830 – November 12, 1904
(aged 74)		 March 4, 1865
–
April 5, 1865[9]		 Republican Lawyer
17   William G. Brownlow
August 29, 1805 – April 29, 1877
(aged 71)		 April 5, 1865
–
February 25, 1869		 Republican Editor, preacher
18   Dewitt Clinton Senter
March 26, 1830 – June 14, 1898
(aged 68)		 February 25, 1869
–
October 10, 1871		 Republican Lawyer
19   John C. Brown
January 6, 1827 – August 17, 1889
(aged 62)		 October 10, 1871
–
January 18, 1875		 Democratic Lawyer
20   James D. Porter
December 7, 1828 – May 18, 1912
(aged 83)		 January 18, 1875
–
February 16, 1879		 Democratic 1874 Lawyer, educator
1876
21   Albert S. Marks
October 16, 1836 – November 4, 1891
(aged 55)		 February 16, 1879
–
January 17, 1881		 Democratic 1878 Lawyer, judge
22   Alvin Hawkins
December 2, 1821 – April 27, 1905
(aged 83)		 January 17, 1881
–
January 15, 1883		 Republican 1880 Lawyer, judge
23   William B. Bate
October 7, 1826 – March 9, 1905
(aged 78)		 January 15, 1883
–
January 17, 1887		 Democratic 1882 Lawyer, politician
1884
24   Robert Love Taylor
July 31, 1850 – March 31, 1912
(aged 61)		 January 17, 1887
–
January 19, 1891		 Democratic 1886 Lawyer, politician
1888
25   John P. Buchanan
October 24, 1847 – May 14, 1930
(aged 82)		 January 19, 1891
–
January 16, 1893		 Democratic 1890 Farmer
26   Peter Turney
September 22, 1827 – October 19, 1903
(aged 76)		 January 16, 1893
–
January 21, 1897		 Democratic 1892 Lawyer, judge
1894
24   Robert Love Taylor
July 31, 1850 – March 31, 1912
(aged 61)		 January 21, 1897
–
January 16, 1899		 Democratic 1896 Lawyer, politician
27   Benton McMillin
September 11, 1845 – January 8, 1933
(aged 87)		 January 16, 1899
–
January 19, 1903		 Democratic 1898 Lawyer, diplomat
1900
28   James B. Frazier
October 18, 1856 – March 28, 1937
(aged 80)		 January 19, 1903
–
March 21, 1905		 Democratic 1902 Lawyer, politician
1904
29   John I. Cox
November 23, 1855 – September 5, 1946
(aged 90)		 March 21, 1905
–
January 17, 1907		 Democratic Lawyer
30   Malcolm R. Patterson
June 7, 1861 – March 8, 1935
(aged 73)		 January 17, 1907
–
January 26, 1911		 Democratic 1906 Lawyer, judge
1908
31   Ben W. Hooper
October 13, 1870 – April 18, 1957
(aged 86)		 January 26, 1911
–
January 17, 1915		 Republican 1910 Lawyer
1912
32   Thomas C. Rye
June 2, 1863 – September 12, 1953
(aged 90)		 January 17, 1915
–
January 15, 1919		 Democratic 1914 Lawyer, judge
1916
33   Albert H. Roberts
July 4, 1868 – June 25, 1946
(aged 77)		 January 15, 1919
–
January 15, 1921		 Democratic 1918 Lawyer, judge
34   Alfred A. Taylor
August 6, 1848 – November 25, 1931
(aged 83)		 January 15, 1921
–
January 16, 1923		 Republican 1920 Lawyer
35   Austin Peay
June 1, 1876 – October 2, 1927
(aged 51)		 January 16, 1923
–
October 3, 1927[10]		 Democratic 1922 Lawyer
1924
1926
36   Henry Hollis Horton
February 17, 1866 – July 2, 1934
(aged 68)		 October 3, 1927
–
January 17, 1933		 Democratic Lawyer, farmer
1928
1930
37   Hill McAlister
July 15, 1875 – October 30, 1959
(aged 84)		 January 17, 1933
–
January 15, 1937		 Democratic 1932 Lawyer
1934
38   Gordon Browning
November 22, 1889 – May 23, 1976
(aged 86)		 January 15, 1937
–
January 16, 1939		 Democratic 1936 Lawyer, judge
39   Prentice Cooper
September 28, 1895 – May 18, 1969
(aged 73)		 January 16, 1939
–
January 16, 1945		 Democratic 1938 Lawyer
1940
1942
40   Jim Nance McCord
March 17, 1879 – September 2, 1968
(aged 89)		 January 16, 1945
–
January 16, 1949		 Democratic 1944 Editor
1946
38   Gordon Browning
November 22, 1889 – May 23, 1976
(aged 86)		 January 16, 1949
–
January 15, 1953		 Democratic 1950 Lawyer, judge
  Walter M. Haynes
41   Frank G. Clement
June 2, 1920 – November 4, 1969
(aged 49)		 January 15, 1953
–
January 19, 1959		 Democratic 1952 Lawyer Jared Maddux
1954
42   Buford Ellington
June 27, 1907 – April 3, 1972
(aged 64)		 January 19, 1959
–
January 15, 1963		 Democratic 1958 Farmer William D. Baird
41   Frank G. Clement
June 2, 1920 – November 4, 1969
(aged 49)		 January 15, 1963
–
January 16, 1967		 Democratic 1962 Lawyer James L. Bomar, Jr.
Jared Maddux
42   Buford Ellington
June 27, 1907 – April 3, 1972
(aged 64)		 January 16, 1967
–
January 16, 1971		 Democratic 1966 Farmer Frank Gorrell
43   Winfield Dunn
    (1927-07-01) July 1, 1927		 January 16, 1971
–
January 18, 1975		 Republican 1970 Dentist John S. Wilder
44   Ray Blanton
April 10, 1930 – November 22, 1996
(aged 66)		 January 18, 1975
–
January 17, 1979		 Democratic 1974 Farmer, businessman
45   Lamar Alexander
    (1940-07-03) July 3, 1940		 January 20, 1979
–
January 17, 1987		 Republican 1978 Lawyer, politician
1982
46   Ned McWherter
October 15, 1930 – April 4, 2011
(aged 80)		 January 17, 1987
–
January 21, 1995		 Democratic 1986 Businessman
1990
47   Don Sundquist
    (1936-03-15) March 15, 1936		 January 21, 1995
–
January 18, 2003		 Republican 1994 Businessman
1998
48   Phil Bredesen
    (1943-11-21) November 21, 1943		 January 18, 2003
–
January 15, 2011		 Democratic 2002 Businessman
2006   Ron Ramsey
49   Bill Haslam
    (1958-08-23) August 23, 1958		 January 15, 2011
–
January 19, 2019		 Republican 2010 Businessman
2014
Randy McNally
50   Bill Lee
    (1959-10-09) October 9, 1959		 January 19, 2019
–
present[11]		 Republican 2018 Businessman, farmer
2022

References
Specific
  1. Jonathan M. Atkins. "William Carroll" in Tennessee Encyclopedia of History and Culture (online edition). Accessed January 27, 2012.
  2. "Government", Tennessee Encyclopedia of History and Culture
  3. William Lyons, John M. Scheb, Billy Stair (2001). Government and politics in Tennessee. University of Tennessee Press. p. 48–49. ISBN 978-1-57233-141-9.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: uses authors parameter (link)
  4. Office of the Governor
  5. "Past Governors Archived July 31, 2012, at the Wayback Machine," Tennessee Blue Book (2011–2012), pp. 547, 553.
  6. Appointed governor by President George Washington
  7. Numbering of the governors was deduced from the fact that the document at www.tn.gov/sos/bluebook/11-12/2_ExecutiveBranch.pdf identifies Bill Haslam as Tennessee's 49th Governor. Governors who served multiple non-consecutive terms have their numbers repeated in italics in subsequent terms.
  8. Harris continued issuing edicts as governor throughout the Civil War. Confederate Tennesseans elected Robert L. Caruthers as Harris's successor in 1863, but Caruthers never took office.
  9. East was Tennessee Secretary of State from 1862–1865, appointed by Andrew Johnson, the military governor of the state under Union occupation during the Civil War. After Johnson was inaugurated as Vice President of the United States on March 4, 1865, East became the Acting Governor of Tennessee until William G. Brownlow, the "elected" governor of Tennessee, was inaugurated on April 5, 1865. The official Tennessee Blue Book does not include East in its list of former governors.
  10. Peay was the only Governor of Tennessee to die in office, and was succeeded by Lieutenant Governor Henry Horton.
  11. Lee's second term began on January 21, 2023 and will expire January 16, 2027; He will be term-limited
General
  • Vile, John R., and Byrnes, Mark E. Tennessee Government and Politics: Democracy in the Volunteer State. 1998, Vanderbilt University Press. p. 43
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